Discover How Yoga Practice Can Calm Your Nerves
People with anxiety disorders suffer from constant and acute fear of things and events both significant and insignificant. They obsess and stress over the littlest details so much that they end up always in a state of worry and fear.
Thanks to modern science, doctors now provide different treatment options for those who have anxiety disorders. One of these is yoga practice which serves as a complement to medication prescribed by physicians.
Research and personal testimonies and experiences point to yoga as an important element in relieving one’s stress and anxiety levels.
When done regularly and properly, yoga practice helps individuals stay calm, focused, and relaxed. Through a variety of techniques that include postures, breathing exercises and meditation, yoga practitioners achieve mental and physical strength that allows them to face life with optimism.
If you want to get rid of the uneasiness, anxiety, and worry that incessantly fill your mind, here are yoga practices that you can do in class.
1. Postures that Leave Your Body and Mind Relaxed and at Peace
There are certain yoga postures recommended to relieve your of tension and pessimism. Among these are the janu shirsasana (one-legged forward bend), paschimottanasana (two-legged forward bend), marjariasana (cat stretch), shirshasana (headstand), and shavasana (corpse pose). After practicing any of these poses, make sure to take the time to just lie down in yogi sleep because this thoroughly relaxes your mind and body as well as flushes toxins out from your body.
2. Meditate Regularly
When a sense of panic suddenly envelopes you, meditate. This will keep your mind at peace and focused and away from the trivial matters going on around you. You can meditate when the need arises, not necessarily just upon waking up.
3. Practice Breathing Techniques to Ease Anxiety
Non-yoga practitioners might be surprised to know just how much of a difference breathing exercises can do to one’s mental wellness. Breathing exercises such as thenadi shodhan pranayama (alternate nostril breathing), kapal bhati pranayama (skull-shining breathing technique), and bhramari pranayama (bee breath) rids one’s mind of worries and uneasiness that cause anxiety.
4. Live and Breathe Yoga
Practicing yoga does not stop with doing the postures and breathing exercises. To benefit the most from this ancient philosophy, it is advised that you live the principles it teaches particularly the one on living simply and being contented with the things that we have. Wanting and seeking worldly things only aggravate our anxiousness. Yoga’s yamas and niyamas also instruct us on how we can further enhance our mental and physical wellness by eating the right food. If you need more inspiration on how you embrace yoga into your life, read the post: Breathing, Healing, Loving and Living Yoga.
5. Ditch the “Me-Me” Attitude
Focusing too much on ourselves, on every little thing that makes our life less than perfect, only breeds stress and anxiety. Keeping our minds focused on the welfare of other people and how we can help them provide us with an outlet to make use of our talents and resources. More importantly, giving a little bit of ourselves for the comfort of others gives us immense satisfaction that no amount of money can buy.
6. Pray and Stay Positive
Prayer is the best form of reassurance and support to keep you anxiety-free. Developing habits of daily prayer, chanting or singing bhajans (devotional songs) fill you with positive energy and also help still the mind. They also instill a sense of deep faith that all happens for the best and that there is a higher divine power that takes care. Moreover, make a conscious effort to smile more and more. It will instill confidence, calmness and positivity instantaneously. Try it out right now!
